Final Fantasy Shining
by E.M.Kelly
Summary: When the wrld is dark, When light fades, When love is torn by a great hate, there shall come a hero, and only he can decide our fate." Original Final Fantasy Novel please read and rate.


**FINAL FANTASY SHINING **

**By EM Kelly**

**Disclaimer**

**Final Fantasy ® is a registered trademark of Sqare/Enix™ All characters in this story though their names may be similar or the same as those in Final Fantasy® games are original designs by the author. Any similarities to other characters is purely coincidental. Any attempt to use said characters (name, style, and appearance, together not separately) without permission from the author can result in a lawsuit.**

**Now that I have that bullshit out of the way let me first state that I don't care if you use the characters I have in this story or not. however if you do decide to use them don't claim they are yours, and please have the common courtesy to not copy my story. **

**Prologue**

"So do you really think this guy is innocent sir?" The soldier asked captain Bernard as they walled down the hall lined with filled with prisoners. some reached out through the bars begging for release or claiming innocence only to be shoved back and told to shut their yaps., others hid in a corner and looked pathetic, and still others quickly halted their vain attempts at cutting through the bars with spoons or picking the locks with old chicken bones.

"Yes I do but since you insist on asking me that same question in different ways every hundred feet I'll tell you why. I've been Commanding this prison for seven years and this man has been here since i took over." he paused slap the hand of one ingenious prisoner who was doing a fair job of picking the locks with a filed down spoon in the general shape of one of the guard keys. Bernard paused to look over the tool with a nod of approval to the prisoner, then slipped the pick into his pocket.

"And now?"

"What?"

"The prisoner"

"Oh, and now the Emperor wants to see him? Listen this man hasn't said a word in the seven yeas I've known him. Actually I don't think anyone knows him." they continued walking until they reached a door that would lead down into the lower levels of the prison.

"Why are we going to the lower levels. I thought that all the long term prisoners were kept here in the upper levels to keep them healthy?

"What's your name Corporal?" He said stopping at the door to pull out his keys.

"Hampton sir, and I'm a sergeant now."

"Your first name soldier I could give two shits about your last." the Captain smiled at his new soldier and unlocked the door.

"Uh, Vicks sir. What's yours?" he also smiled but a little more starting to like Captain Bernard and his way of doing things. Vicks was beginning to think the officer didn't really care if the prisoners escaped, as long as he didn't catch them in the process.

"Wedge. Well Vicks, I have special orders to keep this man in the lower levels in a cell far removed from any other. the only people allowed to se him are he Emperor's personal High Mages. I check in on him from time to time to make sure he's alright, but all they ever tell me is he hasn't said anything. I've never really met the guy myself. in fact today will be the first time I've ever used this key." he flipped his key ring over and over in his hand sorting through the keys until he found the one he wanted.

"What's he in for anyway."

"Gods only know Kid. I don't even think he knows. But orders are orders and you have to do what your told or you'll start seeing these bars from the other side, if you get my drift." They were halfway down the stairs at this point and Wedge stopped to test the locks on a door before continuing on. He was a big man, a little think in the mid section, so Vicks figured he needed to find an excuse to rest on the long decent to the lower dungeons. They came to the bottom of the stairs and headed down another long hallway lined with more cells. At the end of the hall they came to a door that Wedge had to use his key on. The door opened to reveal another shorter hallway, this one with no cells along the walls. Just a single door at the end that looked much newer and thicker then the others in the prison. Wedge used is key again and gave the big door a push having to put some weight into the effort.

When the door opened Vicks found himself starring at the most disturbing prisoner he had ever seen. He hung on the wall toes just inches off the ground. his hair hung in shaggy dirty locks nearly to the floor. his hands, barely recognizable as hands for the fingernails had grown and curled like a phoenix's talons, were above is head locked together by a set of manacles that were in turn looped onto a ring. his head hung low hiding his features behind his black hair but Vicks imagined a scared mutilated visage, that would eerily match the rest of this man's features. Off in the corner a High Mage sat reading a book by the single candle in the room as if he had not noticed their entrance.

For a moment both soldiers stood horrified at the wretch that hung before them. neither could move, neither dared talk for fear of saying the wrong thing. then Wedge hissed in a cold almost spiteful voice barely above a whisper. "Get that man down, now"

Vicks needed no further prompting, and moved to do so even as Wedge was finishing the sentence. The mage stood and placed himself in the way first stating "You will not move this prisoner, Corporal"

Vicks felt the anger in him rise and without a word, without a thought, without loosing a step delivered a right cross that put the mage spinning into the left side wall and crumbling to the floor in a dazed heap. He quickly removed the man from the hook taking a moment to look at the man's face. It was not scared, was not even ugly. The man was surprisingly handsome, with a short slender nose and thin lips. the man came from the wall and fell to his knees before Wedge caught him.

"Be more careful next time Vicks," The captain laid the man down on his back and looked him over. "He's alive, poor guy must have been chained up there for years, damn I should have laid one of those mages out like you did and made sure he was treated better. They didn't even cut his hair or fingernails, or even bath the man, not even a bucket of water on his face."

"Do we report this to the Emperor? Or should be clean him up and pretend it never happened?"

"Damnit Vicks, the emperor put him here, High mages don't do anything their not told to by the emperor himself. No we keep this to our selves, like we don't care, we bring him to the emperor as he is, and then we...We'll talk about that later. for right now lets get him some cloths. he can at least see the emperor with some dignity."

"Strey..." Wedge turned back to the prisoner to see his eyes come open. "Who am I?"

It was near dusk on a hot April day when Inrioku Kase rode his black chocobo into Olm Some forty miles away from anywhere. Just south of The Sands and east of the Shimmer mountains. It what a picturesque town with the sparkling white peeks behind it as a he was coming up from the east. His white trench now dust covered from a long ride hung over his lap and his shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a slim sweaty body of corded muscle.

It was a simple town, peaceful, self sufficient, and boring. Perhaps that's why he found himself drawn to this place. Kase couldn't stand the city, so many people always viding for a better position. Here people just livd life the way tey liked it, and asked for nothings else. Of course some children decided togo to the city, it was in human nature to look for something else. But the things they learned here would call them back. They may never return but they would dream of home. Kase was different from these people. He wasn't raised here, he had never lived here, had never visited here. He was a wonderer, and he was from the City. Something in him however told him he was made for something more. Something simpler. And so he took to the rode, never looking back. He had been on the road for so long another day or two to the next village would not hurt him, but he was out of food, and he always liked to know where his next meal would come from.

And so he found himself changing directions when he came to a sign in the road tat pointed towards Olm. That was this morning, damn this place was out of the way. He pulled his bird to a stop at the local inn and dismounted suddenly feeling the pins and needles as his feet suddenly came awake. "Damn, I'm going to be feeling this in the morning." he didn't know why he always said that, he was used to being saddle sore, actually welcomed it. It was a reminder that he was a wonderer, with no connections, nothing to hold him down. That's the way his life was. That was the way he wanted it. He would take to the road again in the morning, just another drifter to be put into a fictional story by some old man.

"Heya, sunny, if you's be want'n there's a stable over near 'em fences. You can put 'er up in there if you's feel'n inclined." Maybe it would be that old man. Kase nodded to the old man without saying a word and led his horse to the stable. A few children were playing in the street and he took notice of one, a rather cute girl with freckles across her face. She was trying to balance on a fence pole around the stable and waved to him. He waved back and smiled. "Be careful."

"I will mister, hey I've never seen a black chocobo before!" she jumped down to the ground her bare feet grass stained and dirty. For a moment he thought about telling her she needed some shoes but looking at the girl again he decide that it was right for her not to have shoes. Children shouldn't have to wear shoes if they don't want to. The girl ran up to the bird and looked it up and down like a buyer at an auction. "What's his name?"

"Bird." Kase smiled."Just Bird"

"That's not a name! that's an animal." Kase was used tohat, he knew what she'd say before she said it. Everyone said it.

"Bird works just fine, and besides, if I gave her a name 'd have to remember it. She's used to Bird, and I'm Used to Bird, and all the other Birds are used to Bird. Why change it."

The girl laughed. "Your funny. I'm Orea. So it's a girl? How can you tell?"

"Boy's have red feathers on their tails." then a thought came to him and he reached inside his pack and pulled out a box. Bird turned and a squawked at him until he put the box on the ground in front of her. The little girl followed him watching as the bird nuzzled the box.

"Chocobo's are very protective. They only have one or two babies in their life so they keep them safe."

"You meen?"

"Yep, she's going to be a mom, but her egg is cracked a little. I put it in this box to protect it. Don't worry your little head though, chocobo's are the toughest birds in the world. As long as the egg is in this box the baby is safe. The sun keeps it warm in the day and I wrap it up in a blanket at night and put it next to the fire. Not to close though. When he hatches I'll have to keep him fed and warm all the time, even in the winter, untill his baby feathers grow out. Baby chocobows are vary playfull though and I don't think I have time to keep him happy."

"I'll play with him!" Orea's eys twinkled with excitement, but unlike most girls her age she didn't start jumping up and down. She would be a good foster mother, and she'd have a friend for life.

"Would you really?" Kase feigned surprise "Well I don't know, Raising a chocobo is an important job." Bird squawked and looked at Kase as if to say 'Let her take care of him' "You think so too bird? Okay we'll give him to her. Its your choice. I promiss we'll come back soon and see him.

"Orea, Orea come inside its getting dark outside."

"That's my mommy, I have to go can I take the egg?"

"Not no you'll have to ask your mother."

"Orea who are you talking to?" Orea's mother was fast stepping it over towards the barn. "Orea you go inside this instant, I'll talk to this man.."

"Kase"

"Right mister Kase and I have some grown up things to talk about."

"He said I could have his Chocobo egg mommy!"

"What? Choco…" Kase could see how this could go badly. He scratched his head and laughed sheepishly.

"Actually I said you'd have to ask your mother first." Orea's mother was looking at him with stern, suspicious eyes.

"Go inside Orea"

"Yes ma'am."

When the girl was gone her mother turned back on Kase and fumed. "How dare you. Don't you know its dangerous for children talk to strangers, how do I know your not some kidnapper."

"I'm not a kidnapper"

"And what's this nonsense about a chocobo egg? No one gives away a chocobo egg. Their priceless. Any one who has one can raise a chocobo to be their slave!" Bird squawked and flapped her wings at this.

"Actually, ma'am that's not exactly"

"And what if that black bird of yours hurt my baby, then what? No good can come from a black chocobo." again Bird squawked.

"Are you done?" Kase had never really been yelled at before by a woman, except for his mother, but I figured it was best to let her get er fill out. So after telling him at great length that she was not done, she began to bring up his appearance, his cloths his religion, his whatever. Durring this time he was able to take notice that besides being very angry this woman was also Very beautiful. Her hair was a near black with shades of lighter colored brw mixed in with hit. She wores a simple garden dress, with an apron and a pink bow in her hair. Two pretty blue eyes twinkled with angst on either side of a perfectly shaped nose.

"Now I'm done, what have you to say for your self?"

"I'm, uh sorry?"

"You'd better be" she spun on her heal and started towards her house."

"Wait ma'am?" he picked up the box jogged to catch up to her. "Wait," she stopped and turned around still looking like she was going to explode ito another bout of beautiful furry. "I just wanted to know" he opened the box to show her a shiny jade colored egg. A single almost invisible crack ran along it's side from tip to tip. "Can she have it?"

The woman's voice caught in he throat even as she was ready to scream at him again. She clutched the em of her dress and gasped. It was true, a Chocobo egg was priceless. Anyone who owned one could raise a chocobo, and they would be a friend for life. Chocobo's would fight to protect their eggs, and would fight to protect their companion.

"You can't make a Chocobo your slave ma'am, but if she raised this one it would mean the world to my best friend over there" he nodded towards Bird. "This egg won't survive the trip we are making over the mountains. Its to cold for one, and for another, to rocky. I'd rather leave it with someone I can trust."

The woman looked at him and the anger left her face replaced by a soft smile. "Would you like to come in for dinner?"


End file.
